Trans-System, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Trans-System, Inc. 401(k) Plan
Spokane, WATransportation & Warehousing738 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$860Employer $ per active participant
$2,220Employee $ saved per active participant
0.32%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$21.9MNet plan assets, end of year
–Average balance per account (account count looks misreported)
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity22.0 / 5044th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost9.6 / 2538th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving5.1 / 1534th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score37 / 100 · Grade D
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Transportation & Warehousing plans with 500–2,499 active participants (392 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 44th |
| Lower admin cost | 38th |
| Employee saving | 34th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 37% |
Get the monthly 401(k) report card
The best and worst plans, new grades as filings post. One email a month, no spam.
Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $81,225 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Trans-System put in about $860 per active participant, below the typical peer ($1,070). Any match is still an instant return, so contribute enough to get all of it.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $634,960 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $1,639,394 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $236,182 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $67,616 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $67,616 |
| Benefits paid out | $3,260,732 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $20.4M / $21.9M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 755 / 722 |
| Participants with account balances | 337 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Eide Bailly LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Wells Fargo | $46,602 reported compensation |
| Retirement Plan Specialists | $12,555 reported compensation |
| Capital Group Retirement Plan Svcs | $6,450 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20250917182428NAL0000381155001, received 2025-09-17, EIN 91-1533583, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.